A Wild Night in Vegas - Part 20
A year and a half after chapter 19, I am pleased and proud to offer you chapter 20! @outlandishchridhe and I honestly had most of it written. It just needed a few extra lines and some polish. It’s a bit long, so be prepared, but I know you’ll love it. We have so so many plans for the future of the Vegas Frasers and we can’t wait to share them with you. So here you are! Enjoy!
Not caught up? Grab chapter 19 HERE or check out the master list HERE
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It was done. He’d booked their tickets for Scotland and while Jamie felt a little weight lift from his shoulders, his anxiety had peaked.
Alone in their bedroom, he heard Claire bustling about in the living room, babbling to Fergus and listening to him make his wee noises back. He opened the bottom drawer of their dresser and pulled out the faded tartan, holding it gently between his fingers. He hadn't taken out his kilt in many years, but knowing they'd be heading to Scotland made him pull it out.
Carefully, he laid it out on the floor and plaited it, lying down and wrapping it around his waist. When he stood up, he took stock of himself in the mirror. He hadn't worn it regularly beforehand, but he had missed the feel of it. He felt like himself in it.
"Jamie! Can you come out here for a second?" Claire called to him, pulling himself out of his memories.
"Aye," he replied. "I'm coming."
"Bring me a burp cloth, please!" she called back.
###
Claire heard Jamie come into the room and turned to him.
"So I was thinking..."
She turned and stopped, struck dumb by the sight before her. She hadn't even known he had a kilt, let alone that he'd brought it with him when he moved to Vegas.
He was enjoying watching his wife's features change, from surprise, to lust, to blatant appreciation. He smirked cheekily at her as all at once she came back to herself.
"Oh, I… umm..." she stuttered, trying to find the words.
"Aye, mo chridhe? What's amiss?" he asked, smiling all the more.
At the sound of his voice, Fergus turned bodily towards his Da and started to flail his arms. Claire patted his back as she walked closer to Jamie, prowling up to him like a predator to her prey.
"I didn't know you had a kilt," she said softly, fire in her eyes as she held his gaze.
"I do. I havena taken it out in a long time. Thinkin' of going to Scotland made me want to get it out."
"Well… I like it," she said, still staring hungrily at him.
Fergus, unhappy with being ignored, flopped towards Jamie, making wee babbling noises as he came closer.
"What do ye think, a bhalaich?" Jamie asked as he reached out to take the bairn into his arms. "I dinna think I look as handsome a lad as you, but I think yer Mam likes it."
Jamie looked up and gazed at Claire whose mouth was hanging open in unsated lust. Seeing Jamie, in his kilt, holding their son to his chest. It was all too much for her. If he'd had his glasses on she may have just taken him right there.
Jamie stepped up closer to her reaching one hand out to touch her cheek. She had some spit up on her shirt, her hair was up in a haphazard bun on her head and sweatpants with one of his t-shirts on. She'd never looked more beautiful to him.
"Ye look so beautiful right now, mo chridhe."
"Ha," she responded sarcastically, reaching up to self-consciously sweep at her hair.
"I mean it," he said strongly. "Ye look beautiful, especially with the spark in yer eyes right now. I ken what ye were thinking.
He wiggled his eyebrows at her as a blush flushed beautifully over her cheeks.
"Yes, well," she started. "When you surprise and completely disarm me like that, what am I supposed to do?"
He chuckled low in his throat, which didn't help Claire's want of him.
"So, dare I ask," she started playfully. "What DOES a Scotsman wear under his kilt?"
He laughed again, deeper this time and eyed her.
"I guess ye'll have to find out for yerself."
Claire glanced down at Fergus, now peacefully asleep against Jamie's broad chest and stalked towards him.
"Meet me in our bedroom," she said as seductively as she could as she grazed the front of his kilt with her fingers. "I need to get to the bottom of what you keep under your kilt."
###
Jamie laid Fergus in his crib, eyes still closed and dreaming.
"Please, a chuisle," he whispered. "Let yer mam and I have a wee time to ourselves before ye wake, aye?"
He turned on the baby monitor as he left the room, gently closing the door.
As he walked into their bedroom, he was met with Claire, dressed in her blue kimono robe, holding something behind her back.
"What do ye have there?"
"Oh, just something to add to your… outfit."
He raised his eyebrows as she brought her hands from behind her back. His glasses.
That same rosy flush brushed across her cheeks as she took in his response.
"I just… I think you'd look really sexy with your glasses on as well. I promise I won't make you wear them the whole time."
He smiled at her and stepped closer until they were nearly flush together and picked them out of her hands and put them on.
"I'm glad yer askin' for what you want, mo chridhe. I dinna mind it a bit."
He'd expected her to move closer, but instead she took one step back and pulled out her phone.
"Can I..." she paused, blushing even harder. "I want a picture of you like this. So that I can look at it while I'm pining for you to come home from work."
She'd said it in jest, but there was a bit of truth to her words. He knew she missed him while he was at work. He missed her too.
"Aye, of course," he replied.
She took a picture or two before pulling him closer to take a picture of them together.
"God, I really DO look a mess Jamie. And you look so… so delicious."
He laughed.
"I think ye look beautiful."
She smiled.
"You have to say that because you're my husband."
"No, I dinna. I think ye are the most beautiful creature I've ever seen."
He held eye contact with her, hoping she could see he meant it.
"Well, since you are all dressed up for me, I have a surprise for you."
"Oh do ye now?" he asked, eyes alight with what it could be.
Holding eye contact with him, she slowly undid the sash to her robe. Carefully, she opened one side to reveal her shoulder and a hint of lace just above her breast. Without realizing he'd moved, Jamie took a step toward her only to be met with a step back from her.
"No, no," she chastised him playfully.
"I want to be the one to unwrap you," he nearly growled. "Isn't this my surprise?"
Claire sighed heavily.
"Well… I suppose it is your-"
She was cut off quite abruptly by Jamie's hands reaching out to her. She thought that he would pull her robe straight from her body, but was pleasantly surprised when he began peeling it down her arms, following it down with his mouth.
As the silky material slipped down her body, Jamie got a good look at what Claire had been hiding underneath her robe.
“Is this another gift for me to unwrap?” he growled, voice low and filled with lust.
His eyes were staring fixedly at the deep blue, quite skimpy, lingerie that barely covered Claire’s assets.
“If you think you’ll be able to figure out how, exactly, to get me out of it,” she laughed softly.
“Dinna fash yerself about that, my Sassenach. I ken my way around yer fancy underthings now.”
He grinned cheekily up at her as she let the robe fall fully to the floor, pooling at her feet.
###
The next morning, Jamie made the call to Murtagh, inviting him to dinner before heading to work. Claire spent her day planning and preparing the meal in between feedings and nappy changes.
That evening, the doorbell rang and Jamie answered it while Claire finished making their sandwiches. Murtagh greeted him and Jamie waved him inside.
“Thank ye for coming, Murtagh.”
“Aye. Ye said ye wanted to talk wi’ me?”
Claire set the plates down on the table, including one for Murtagh.
“Come and sit with us,” she said. “I’ve made an extra for you.”
“Oh,” Murtagh said, surprised. “Thank ye.”
They sat down and ate quietly, Jamie sorting through his thoughts before speaking.
“Claire and I have come to a decision,” he finally said.
“About what?”
“We’ve bought tickets to visit Scotland, wi’ the lad.”
Murtagh was obviously surprised, but pleased as well.
“That’s good to hear. Will ye be goin’ soon, then? Is it safe for the bairn?”
“A few weeks from now. I couldne get the time off sooner than that, and we wanted the lad to be a bit bigger.”
Nodding, Murtagh sat back in his chair and sighed.
“Claire,” he said softly. “I wanted to apologize for how I treated ye. I shouldna have spoken to ye that way, or suggest you stay here as if ye were some dirty secret. Jamie loves ye and I was wrong to act as I did.”
Claire took a deep breath and glanced at Jamie. He nodded at her, though this was mostly between Claire and Murtagh. She was doing this for Jamie, because Murtagh was his family, though it wasn’t easy.
“Murtagh… Thank you. I… I don’t want to make Jamie choose between our family and the Frasers. I hope you understand now that Jamie and I, along with Fergus, come as a package deal. You don’t get one without the other.”
The little Scotsman had the decency to look abashed at her words.
“I do understand, Claire. Jamie’s no’ whole without ye.”
“Then I accept your apology.”
With that awkward conversation out of the way, Murtagh joined Jamie and Claire on the couch for a glass of whiskey. It was good to have the air clear between them and she could see how much Jamie appreciated it. An idea struck her and she sat up, putting her glass down.
“Murtagh, you should come with us.”
“Eh?”
“To Scotland,” she said. “You haven’t been home in a long time either. You should join us.”
Jamie brightened at the idea, nodding as he set his own glass down.
“Aye? Are ye sure?”
“Yes,” Claire said, taking Jamie’s hand. “You’re a part of the family, Murtagh. We’d be happy to have you with us. Plus, Fergus knows you, so you’ll be a familiar face for him.”
“I’d love to go wi’ ye to Scotland. Thank ye for inviting me.”
Pulling out his phone, Jamie pulled up their flight itinerary and sent a copy to Murtagh so he could make his own arrangements.
“Ye’ve booked a hotel?” Murtagh asked with a frown. “Will ye no’ stay at Lallybroch?”
Jamie took in a deep breath.
“I didna want to burden the family wi’ three people they didna expect.”
Murtagh looked like he wanted to argue, but took a sip of his whiskey instead. When Fergus began to cry for his evening feed, Claire got to her feet and fetched him from his bouncy chair. Anticipating her desire for whiskey, she’d done some extra pumping earlier in the day. Once the bottle was warm, she picked up her son and began feeding him. Jamie, to her surprise, had followed her over. He extended his arms with a shy smile.
“May I?”
“You want to feed him?”
“Aye. I’m no’ always home for his meals. Would ye mind?”
She smiled widely at him.
“Of course not.”
Acting like the boy was made of glass, Jamie tucked him into his arm before accepting the bottle from Claire. Fergus excitedly began suckling, staring intently at his father. Claire took the opportunity to get a fresh nappy and burp cloth ready. Fergus wouldn’t need the nappy immediately, but he’d need it soon.
“Ye make a bonnie family,” Murtagh said softly.
Claire couldn’t help her smile.
“Thank you, Murtagh.”
The Scotsman nodded and took their three empty glasses to the sink.
“It’s gettin’ late and the bairn will need to go down soon,” he said, turning to face Jamie and Claire. “I’ll leave ye three alone.”
“Come over next week for dinner?” Claire asked, extending the olive branch further.
“Aye,” he said with a smile. “I’d like that.”
Walking him to the door, she accepted his hug and locked up behind him. Jamie was already burping Fergus by the time she got back.
“My, he ate that quickly!” she said.
Jamie grinned with pride.
“Aye, he did. He’ll grow up to be a braw lad like his da.”
With the boy taken care of, they worked together to clean up dinner. Once the dishwasher was running they headed to bed. Fergus was already asleep in his crib, a happy smile on his face.
“Thank you, Claire,” he said seriously. “For tonight. Ye made a fine dinner, but I appreciate what ye did wi’ Murtagh.”
Leaning down, he kissed her passionately, nipping gently at her bottom lip.
“I couldn’t see you hurting anymore. I love that you stood by me, but Murtagh is your godfather. Fighting with him hurt you.”
“Aye, it did. Thank ye for helping me fix it.”
Stretching onto her toes, she kissed him again. It had been intended to be a sweet, goodnight kiss. But she recalled the way he’d looked as he’d fed Fergus and her kiss turned hungry. Jamie didn’t hesitate to return the embrace, gathering her into his arms and carrying her to their bed.
“I love you, Sassenach,” he whispered against her lips.
“I love you too.”
He sat up and began tugging at his clothes while she wriggled out of her own. As much as he wanted to be sweet and take his time with her, he knew their time was limited. They both needed their sleep and Fergus could wake at any moment. Claire’s hands traced his spine up and down, sending goosebumps over his flesh. Blindly, she fumbled with the drawer on her nightstand before pulling out a condom.
“Not ready for a second one yet,” she said breathlessly.
Yet. The thought of her pregnant with another of his children filled him with such joy he nearly forgot to use the condom she’d handed him. Suitably protected, he kissed her gently as he slid home. She moaned beneath him, fingers clawing at his back. He knew what she wanted and was more than prepared to give it to her.
Moving deliberately, he watched the faces she made. Her legs wrapped around him, driving him harder against her. Sliding one hand between them, he teased her, making her whimper quietly.
“Jamie!”
“Are ye there, mo chridhe?”
“Yes!” she said as quietly as she could. “Oh God yes!”
He dropped his head to her ear, biting it gently.
“Come wi’ me, Sassenach!”
And she did, her body trembling beneath his.
“I love you, James Fraser,” she whispered.
That sent him over the edge, his body jerking against hers.
Later, Claire snuggled closer to Jamie, drowsy and satisfied. The baby monitor crackled as Fergus began to fuss and she stifled a groan.
“Dinna fash,” Jamie said, patting her bare hip. “I’ll check his nappy.”
“Thank you. If he’s hungry-”
“Just stay here and I’ll take care of the bairn.”
Clutching the sheets around her, Claire relaxed into the bed and waited for her husband’s return. Through the monitor, she heard the door open and Jamie started speaking to the boy.
“There ye are, lad,” Jamie said a few minutes later. “All cleaned up and half asleep already. I ken it’s late, but do ye think it’s time?”
Fergus made some gurgling noise and Claire could just picture his face.
“Aye, I agree. I think it’s time I gi’ yer mam her wee giftie.”
“It’s not that ‘wee’,” Claire muttered to herself with a smile.
She didn’t hear Fergus’ door close, but she felt when Jamie came back in the room. He carried such a presence with him that she was always aware of him.
“So, my Sassenach,” he said softly. “Would ye like yer anniversary gift?”
“I thought you already gave it to me,” she said, keeping her eyes closed as she smiled.
Jamie made a Scottish sound of derisive amusement and she couldn’t keep her giggle quiet.
“Weel, I ha’ something else for ye. The thing I said I’d ordered but hadne come in yet.”
She sat up, adjusting the pillows behind her. Jamie bent over and pulled out a long box from beneath their bed. He slid it over to her and sat at the opposite end of the bed, facing her.
“Jamie, you really didn’t have to get me anything.”
“Just open it.”
Taking the lid off the box, she stared down at the dark contents, confused. The bed shifted as Jamie got up and turned the light on, allowing her to properly see what was inside the box.
“Ooohh Jamie…” Claire said, stroking the soft wool. “This is beautiful.”
“It’s the Fraser tartan,” he said softly. “I wanted ye to feel a part of the Fraser clan. So the three of us will match.”
Carefully, she removed the wool tartan from the box and shook it out. Unable to resist, she wrapped the shawl around herself and grinned up at her husband.
“I suppose we might’ve looked silly if we’d all three had matching skirts.”
“Aye, it would. And I ken ye like to wrap up wi’ the blankets in the flat sometimes.”
“It’s lovely, Jamie. Thank you.”
Glancing down, she realized the shawl wasn’t the only thing inside the box.
“Jamie! What is this?”
Looking up at him, she watched him shrug and keep his eyes down.
“Ye get cold at night. And I thought it would be nice to have something Fraser to put out. So ye’d ken that no matter what happens wi’ my family or anything, you are my family. That this is our home.”
Without a word, she reached out and cupped his face in her hands. Tentatively, he met her gaze. He sat up as she moved toward him, pulling her into the circle of his arms. She pressed her lips to his as her legs wrapped around him. Both of his hands slid down her back, settling on her hips.
Moving to kiss his neck when he pulled back for air, Claire’s own hand reached down and pulled the blanket out of its box. Gently, she draped it around the pair of them, holding it tight as she kissed him.
“This is a wonderful gift,” she whispered. “It’s perfect. Now I won’t have to make you yelp at night with my cold feet.”
Smiling, he gave her a soft peck.
“Aye. It was purely selfish, buying the blanket. We’ll be a united front when we see my family. I dinna ken how they’ll be when they see me wi’ you and the lad. But this will show them we’re a family of our own.”
Claire nodded and kissed him slowly again. Laying her back, he drew the soft wool up over them and held her close. He rested peacefully, knowing whatever happened in Scotland, he’d have Claire at his side.